The Politics of Face Masks

by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist

I don't leave the house and go to town very often, but when I do one of the things that I like to observe is how many people are wearing face masks - and how the ones who are not wearing the masks react to those of us who are.   In fact, I am beginning to think of my informal observations as research - and my "research" has led me to conclude that there is a strong political component at play in each individual's decision whether or not to wear a mask in public settings.

How odd that something as rudimentary as wearing a face mask to avoid catching a disease should become a political statement!

What seems fairly obvious - at least in my area - is this:  those who are staunch in their determination not to wear masks - and seem disdainful of people who do - are on the right politically and are likely to be outspoken in their support of Donald Trump,  a man who has been reluctant to wear a mask himself or to encourage others to do so.  And conversely, those who always wear a mask in public are more likely to be on the left politically and will be voting against Trump in November.

I don't have any numbers to back that up, just my own observations of people I know and who are not shy about expressing their political opinions.  But it would be an easy research project to design - and I suspect that social and political scientists are already at work on confirming the odd phenomena. 
 
The irony is obvious.    One of Donald Trump's most dependable voting blocks is older Americans, people who are most at risk from COVID-19.    Yet Trump and his people are encouraging a behavior by their supporters that could result in their deaths - and fewer Trump votes in November.

But if that's their election "strategy," so be it.

The low number of people wearing face masks in my area would indicate - by my theory - that Trump will do quite well here - just as he did four years ago.    But I strongly suspect that in other parts of the country people are more health conscious and better informed - and those voters will not be as kind to Trump as my neighbors down here in the woods.

Many of Trump's supporters maintain solidarity with their president by refusing to wear a face mask.  They rose together four years ago, and now, if they go down, it will also be together.  But because of their refusal to adhere to good medical practices, some may be about to lose more than just the presidency.

Not wearing a face mask is their choice - but it is a poor one.